The Five Best Cigar Lighters
So you’ve taken a liking to the wonderful world of fine cigars. Initially, the aromas, relaxation, and fellowship pulled you in so you bought a few sticks. Of course your collection quickly grew and now you find yourself in a full-on hobby, a tasty hobby, I might add. One thing you might not have anticipated from all this stogie madness is all the little things that go along with cigar smoking: the humidor, cutter, and lighter, just to name a few. And while there are just too many aspects of the cigar world to consider for this article, I thought I might give a few pointers in the way of the all-important cigar lighter, possibly the most important cigar accessory you can own (tied with the humidor of course).
First of all, there are many ways to light a cigar, some better than others, and some you simply shouldn’t try (trust me, I’ve lit my stogies in ways I care not to mention). Now I’m sure you’ve heard this already, but I’m going to mention it anyways – throw out that Bic lighter! Cigars deserve more respect than that, they have special needs Kerosene and other oil-based lighters (Zippos) should not be used for cigars as it taints the flavor of the cigar. Matches can be used to light up, but avoid sulfur tips (strike anywhere) as they too will have a foul taste. Another downside to matches is you’ll end up using half the box if you’re going to get a proper light. Some will light cedar sticks called “cedar spills” and use these to light the cigar, but most choose a butane torch lighter; clean-burning, easy to carry, and affordable for the most part this is what you want.